5 The Secrets
Looks are deceiving.
They went on a bar called The Metro Lounge. It was Shizuru's first time in a bar. Even when she started earning good money, she hasn't changed her simple ways of living. Her simple upbringing can be seen on the way she spends. Shizuru observed that Reito and his group are regular patrons here because there was a comfortable area reserved for them. The bar is not too noisy and the music seems relaxing.
"How do you like it here, Viola-san?" Reito asked as they sat on the couch reserved for them. Shizuru noticed that Nao was looking at her.
"It's nice here. Thank you for inviting me Kanzaki-san," Shizuru replied.
"My sister, Kanzaki Mikoto, owns this place," Reito declared.
"Oh."
"Have we met before?" Nao interrupted. Shizuru noticed that she was the only one left with her and Reito since the other took drinks and went dancing.
"I guess not. I'm Viola Shizuru. Nice to meet you," Shizuru offered with her usual smile. The woman across her crossed her legs before replying.
"Yuuki Nao. Please to meet you too Viola-san," Nao replied. Shizuru felt that Nao doesn't like her. Nonetheless, she chose to smile at her because in her experience smiling at people does a lot of wonders. "Look who's here."
Shizuru turned at the direction of Nao's gaze and she saw Natsuki entering the bar with the woman named Mai. They were welcomed by a tall woman with short black hair.
"That's my sister," Reito offered as he motioned a bartender to take their orders. Shizuru noticed that Mikoto was leading Natsuki and Mai to their direction. Shizuru felt uneasy under her boss's gaze.
"Was she mad because I went partying?" Shizuru thought. "No, that can't be. She has no right to be mad at me because I did my job properly. Besides, she's partying as well."
Mikoto, Mai and Natsuki sat on the couch opposite to Reito, Nao and Shizuru. Shizuru noticed that Mikoto had her arms around Mai.
"Oh I remember. She's Tokiha Mai. Nao and her friends had been talking about her," Shizuru thought. She felt the urge to take a peek at her notebook but she decided against it for fear that they might found out that she's a writer finding a good subject to write about.
The bartender came and delivered drinks. Shizuru took her margarita but she had no plans on drinking it. Natsuki doesn't seem happy and she wasn't even talking to her. She certainly looked like a social snob.
"What a moody person, she was so nice during lunch and now she's treating me like she doesn't know me. Oh, dear me, I forgot that I'm a secretary. Her friends don't even bother to know my name," Shizuru thought. She lifted her margarita just to smell it.
"Oh she's here!" Mikoto announced. "Tomoe!" Mikoto waved at the woman. Tomoe smiled and she walked toward the group. She stood by the couch and eyed each of them as if deciding where to sit. Shizuru was shocked when the woman sat close to her. She felt uncomfortable. She took a sip of her margarita and she coughed.
They looked at her. The secret was out. She obviously doesn't drink. Shizuru was shocked when Tomoe snuggled close to her.
"Is this the date you promised Mikoto-san. I like her already," Tomoe said.
Shizuru's eyes widened.
"No Tomoe, I wanted you to meet Kuga Natsuki," Mikoto coolly said. Tomoe loosened her embrace around Shizuru.
"What? You're setting me up with someone I don't know?" Natsuki retaliated.
From Natsuki's reply, Shizuru realized Natsuki's orientation. "So that's the reason why there was that awkward atmosphere between us in the office. She was careful not to get any closer to me because I didn't know about her orientation," Shizuru thought.
"Come on Natsuki, just try going out with someone," Mai said, trying to pacify Natsuki's temper. Reito didn't like the heavy atmosphere so he looked for a way out.
"Viola-san, would you like to dance?" Reito asked. Shizuru glanced at Nao and the woman seemed fine with Reito dancing wit someone. She also noticed that her boss was glaring at her.
"I'm sorry Kanzaki-san, I don't dance."
"Okay, come on Nao." Reito replied defeated. He realized that the new secretary is definitely a conservative feminist that could only be admired from afar. Nao stood up and went dancing with Reito leaving Shizuru with Mikoto's group. Shizuru felt uncomfortable about lying. She could dance of course. She just wanted to hear Natsuki speak with her friends who appeared peculiar.
"Just try going out Natsuki, you can't find that crimson-eyed girl anymore," Mikoto said. Shizuru eyes darted at Mikoto. Her head was now filled with questions. There aren't many people with crimson eyes like her but now she's wearing amethyst colored contact lenses.
"Oh, so you won't go out on a date with me because your crushing on someone else," Tomoe teased.
"Shut up," Natsuki said while glaring at the girl. Natsuki noticed that by now, Shizuru knows too much about her. "Maybe it's better this way so she would know how to act around me," Natsuki thought. The group drank and the conversation continued. Shizuru was thankful that they didn't mind her presence.
"When we were in second at Nara Academy, there was a science contest at Fuuka Academy. We joined with our Kaichou Harada Chie who was in her third year that time. She was beaten by the Kaichou of Fuuka Academy. Natsuki beat the second year representative of Fuuka but she didn't have the chance to meet the crimson-eyed girl," Mai narrated.
"Kaichou with crimson eyes in Fuuka…" Shizuru almost choked. "She had a crush on me?"
"Oh, did you get the name?" Tomoe asked.
"Fujino," Mikoto replied. For the second time, Shizuru almost choked. Natsuki downed a shot.
"You don't know anything, Mikoto-san," Natsuki seriously said. Shizuru felt that there was more to what she heard. Natsuki then stood up. "I have a meeting tomorrow. I better leave and rest." Shizuru was surprised when Natsuki took her by the hand. "I'm taking my secretary." Mikoto's eyes widened a bit while Tomoe showed a sly smile. Soon the two were out of the bar and Natsuki finally got a hold of her senses. She realized that she had been dragging Shizuru again. An image of the bruise on Shizuru's risk flashed on her mind. She stopped on her tracks on the parking lot and dropped Shizuru's hand.
"Gome, Viola-san. I'm sorry that I had to drag you out of the place. Everyone noticed that you don't drink. They might use that to their advantage. You don't know them," Natsuki said with concern.
"Ookini Kuga-san. I'm happy you saved me," Shizuru replied. She was now having an internal battle. She wanted to tell Natsuki that she is the Fujino thay they've been talking about earlier but then if she does that, Natsuki would know that she is the writer from The Rising Sun. For the first time in her life, she got into real trouble.
"I'm also sorry that you had to hear too much about me," Natsuki softly said. She seemed embarrassed.
"It doesn't change anything Kuga-san," Shizuru said. "I don't mind."
"Would you be kind enough to leave what you heard here?" Natsuki asked.
"You can count on me. To be fair, I'd also let you know one of my secrets." Shizuru playfully said. Natsuki blinked.
"You don't need to do that Viola-san. Come on, I'll give you a ride home. There's my car," Natsuki said. She pointed to a black Jaguar a few meters away from where they stand. Shizuru just smiled.
"Kuga-san, you have to know," Shizuru insisted.
"Okay then, what is this secret that you wanted to share?" Natsuki said as she flicked her hair.
Shizuru touched the red Porsche on her right while smiling. "This is my car so I don't need a ride." Shizuru enjoyed the way Natsuki's mouth fell open. She just made Natsuki curious about her identity. Shizuru pulled out her key and opened her car leaving Natsuki standing while processing all the information in her head.
Earlier, Natsuki had a hunch that Shizuru doesn't fit the profile of an ordinary secretary. "She finished a report and a presentation in a few hours without assistance. Now, she has a red Porsche. She's definitely hiding something." Natsuki heard the mild humming of Shizuru's car. She briskly walked toward Shizuru's rolled down window.
"Viola-san, you're hiding something," Natsuki said while stooping.
"I'll keep your secrets, you keep mine. See you tomorrow Kuga-san," Shizuru waved Natsuki goodbye and then she sped off.